The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) apologized and revoked the show cause order sent to Manila Mayor Isko Moreno to explain the local government’s alleged failure to reach the government’s Anti-Drug Abuse Council last year. 2018, a year before he was elected mayor.
In a statement, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said that such show cause order is for the previous leadership of Manila.
“The show cause order has been recalled, and Mayor Isko does not have to answer it,” the secretary said.
Moreno became mayor of Manila in 2019, replacing former mayor Joseph Estrada.
In the show cause order dated July 9, it stated, “Based on our assessment and verification in the 2018 Anti-Drug Abuse Council Performance Audit, you have failed to comply with the policy and program mandated to your office, specifically in meeting the standards and complying with the measures set forth by the National Drug Abuse Council Audit. ”
It appears that the show cause order came from the office of DILG Undersecretary for External and Legislative Affairs Ricojudge Janvier Echiverri.
In a memorandum on Aug. 6, Echiverri said the show cause order for Moreno was “inadvertent re-issuance.”
DILG apologized, revokes show cause order to Mayor Isko Moreno
“By virtue of this error and the guidance of policies and procedures of the Department, we are hereby withdrawing the document in issue,” Echiverri said.
DILG spokesperson and Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said the incident was an “honest mistake” and not politically motivated.
“Since there is a mistake that was done, as spokesperson of the DILG, we express our apologies to the mayor of Manila for this erroneous show-cause order,” the official said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
“I would like to assure the public that there is no politics behind this,” he continued.
Mayor Isko Moreno is among those included in surveys who are likely to run for president in Election 2022.
In an interview with Super Radyo dzBB on Friday, Moreno said he has no plans to take legal action on what happened.
However, Mayor Isko Moreno said that was not the first time he had received a show cause order from Echaverri.
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